Lu Wanhui had been beaten black and blue, feeling utterly depressed inside, but at the Criminal Investigation Division, he put on a magnanimous air like he wasn’t going to hold it against his senior brother. Legs crossed, he said to Jin Ge, “Have him apologize to me, and we’ll call it even.”
Jin Ge took a drag from his cigarette and in the end still called Jiang Xiaoyu, telling him about this “good news.”
Jiang Xiaoyu was pretty excited on his way to the Criminal Investigation Division, wondering if the higher-ups had figured out that the other guy provoked him first and were reinstating him.
So even though the bus he was waiting for was late, he felt a bit relieved and wasn’t annoyed. But the moment he stepped into the Criminal Investigation Division, he finally understood what “cold shoulders” really meant.
They were from different departments, but usually could be called colleagues. Now, though, not a single friendly face. He wanted to ask where Jin Ge was, but no one bothered to respond. A younger female officer even rolled her eyes at him and said, “Jealousy incarnate!” In her mind, Jiang Xiaoyu’s assault was purely out of jealousy toward Lu Wanhui.
Jiang Xiaoyu kept a calm face and didn’t care. Compared to the abuse he’d endured in the past, these words were weightless, not stinging at all.
Following the text message, he found Jin Ge’s location. The moment he pushed open the door, he was choked by the room full of cigarette smoke and started coughing.
“What a wimp.” Jin Ge clicked his tongue, got up, and opened the window to let it air out.
Seeing Jin Ge indulge this dead last like this, Lu Wanhui felt sour inside, his expression turning ugly. “The boss calls you and you dawdle for so long?”
Jiang Xiaoyu ignored his random barking and walked to the ventilated spot, calling out to Jin Ge, “Master.”
“Mm.” Jin Ge stubbed out his cigarette, lifted his eyelids to look at him, and noted he looked skinnier. “Little Yu, apologize to Little Lu, and we’ll drop it.”
Jiang Xiaoyu pressed his lips together, silent. He knew whatever Jin Ge said was the best outcome he could wrangle. But how laughable—clearly the other guy started it, yet in the end, it became his fault.
Lu Wanhui sniped from the side, “Aiya, Master, if he doesn’t want to be reinstated, just forget it.”
An apology for reinstatement—truly some “good news.” Jiang Xiaoyu stood tall, full of indignation, but when Jin Ge’s palm pressed on the back of his neck and pushed down, it turned to defeat. He heard Jin Ge’s smoky voice low and coaxing: “Be good.”
Jiang Xiaoyu was forced to bow, squeezing out from his throat, “Sorry.”
He didn’t feel bad from the beating or the cursing, but this “be good” from Jin Ge made something in his heart crumble. Held by the man, he didn’t even know how he left the Criminal Investigation Division or made it back to the Case Handling Office.
Until Jin Ge tossed a stack of files in front of him. “Take a look. If no issues, get up to speed ASAP.”
Jiang Xiaoyu listlessly flipped through the papers, thinking he really didn’t want to do this anymore—just go home and wander with the cats and dogs.
Jin Ge glanced at his dejected look and said, “Master knows you’re feeling wronged. You think the guy provoked you first, but I made you bow your head anyway. But were you really in the right? You threw the first punch.”
If he was really that pissed, he could’ve beaten him up in the dark later. But doing it in front of everyone gave them leverage.
Still just a cat cub, after all.
“You, too stubborn.” Jin Ge sighed. “It’s my fault. I tricked you into police academy.”
“But take this case first, okay? After, Master will help you transfer.” Jin Ge coaxed him. “Don’t like dealing with people? I’ll have you do archives, alright?”
Jiang Xiaoyu was easy to placate. With this sweet deal, he perked up a bit and glared up at him. “Big liar, put it in writing!” This guy had tricked him so many times he couldn’t count on two hands—zero credibility.
“Ungrateful disciple! Is that how you talk to your master?” Jin Ge smacked the back of his head. “Hurry and read! Suspension’s already wasted days—the longer it drags, the worse. Get out and chase leads!”
Jiang Xiaoyu resentfully shook off his hand and opened the suspect’s file.
Ye Lian—Jiang Xiaoyu had actually met this man long ago.
Half a month ago, at dusk in the park, he was spacing out when a dog’s bark nearby snapped him back. He thought someone was beating a dog, but saw a Husky with its head stuck in a hedge, unable to pull free and howling miserably.
“Stop barking.” It was so loud even passing birds nearly tumbled.
Jiang Xiaoyu pulled it out. The dumb dog stopped howling, staring seriously at the person before it, trying to figure out what this thing was that spoke dog but looked human.
Man and dog stared big eyes at small, when suddenly a voice came from behind:
“Husky, what are you doing?”
He hadn’t seen the man yet, but heard his voice first.
The voice was like fine liquor, smoothly weaving through the dusky air thick with inebriating intent. Jiang Xiaoyu’s heart skipped a beat, and he turned toward the sound.
The evening glow framed the man from behind, stunningly otherworldly. Jiang Xiaoyu’s heart uncontrollably thumped against his ribs.
He’d seen plenty of beauties—being good-looking himself, back in school, even though he was aloof and antisocial, droves of pretty girls surrounded him. Plump and slender, talented and elegant—he’d seen them all, men and women. But never anyone as breathtaking.
Features sharply sculpted yet not harsh, with an Eastern delicacy and nobility. Gentle brows and eyes, restrained radiance, remarkably handsome and refined.
Jiang Xiaoyu was stunned, until the Husky licked him with its tongue, snapping him back.
He wasn’t good with people to begin with, and now with sweaty palms, he couldn’t speak.
The man chuckled lightly instead. “Thanks for pulling it out.”
“You’re welcome.”
Just a fleeting encounter, but it left a deep impression on Jiang Xiaoyu. Seeing him again was in the suspect file photo.
Jiang Xiaoyu asked, “What makes him the suspect?”
Jin Ge saw his sudden interest and didn’t probe, lighting another cigarette. “The last footage of the victim was him in a car registered to Ye Lian.”
Jiang Xiaoyu waved away the smoke. “That’s it?” Cars can be lent or stolen—locking the primary suspect on ownership alone was too arbitrary.
Jin Ge smiled wryly. “I get you—who doesn’t? But it’s the only lead we have.” Corpse and autopsy report gone up in smoke, scene cleaned too thoroughly. Deep waters here, bottomless.
“What’s his background?” Jiang Xiaoyu asked.
“How many families have that rare surname? What do you think?”
Jiang Xiaoyu thought yeah, the man’s bearing wasn’t mortal—must be from some major clan.
“He’s on a hot investment streak right now. If he’s the perp, fine—but if it’s a mistake and we offend the company shaping Pine City’s economy for decades, who dares take that blame? So no one’s investigating. Who’d openly chase a leadless ghost?” Jin Ge scoffed. “Tough jobs get dumped on us.”
He narrowed his eyes, took a drag, and added, “Though, who else has our department’s special advantages?”
Jiang Xiaoyu asked, “Why not send someone else?” There were several shapeshifters in the Case Handling Office like him. Why give this big case to a rookie cop not even past probation?
Jin Ge grinned. “No one as awesome as our Little Yu, right?”
Jiang Xiaoyu scowled, not buying his nonsense.
Seeing his disbelief, Jin Ge added, “Officer Jiang’s the one who beat the police world’s rising star senseless without him fighting back, yeah?”
Jiang Xiaoyu knew he wouldn’t get a straight answer and was too lazy to listen to Jin Ge’s crappy Paulownia City dialect anyway. He rolled his eyes and asked, “Can I go home during the case?” The pack of cats and dogs in his yard could forage, but he still worried.
“Nope. Don’t worry, Master’ll take care of ’em.”
—
The summer morning was still cool. Jiang Xiaoyu crouched in the grass, his black fur gleaming faintly in the dawn light. He stared down the winding mountain path, tail lightly thumping the ground, patiently waiting for the target.
Soon, footsteps approached. Jiang Xiaoyu’s heart jolted—here he comes!
As the tall figure neared, he burst from the grass, pouncing under the man’s feet. He quickly rolled, lying on his back with paws in the air before the man, eyes squinted in an innocent look.
Ye Lian’s running speed wasn’t slow, and with the sudden obstacle, he still stopped steadily—balance inhumanly good. But Jiang Xiaoyu was too nervous to notice anything off.
The man blocked the sunlight, letting Jiang Xiaoyu open his eyes wide to see his face clearly. Barely over half a month since their first meeting, yet he seemed even more striking.
Light sweat beaded, but still elegantly noble, amber eyes warm, thin lips pale and softly curved. Yet he carried a chill scent like mountaintop snow, like celestial pool water—giving a contradictory, unapproachable vibe.
Seeing the cat stupidly staring without follow-up, Ye Lian sidestepped with his long legs.
Jiang Xiaoyu snapped back as the man moved to leave, scrambling up to flop in front again. Worried he wasn’t cute enough, he used his live-stream trick to coax viewers—pitching his voice in a meow.
Too bad Ye Lian wasn’t swayed by externals or fond of cute things. He just frowned slightly, then lifted his long leg and stepped right over.
Jiang Xiaoyu awkwardly climbed to his feet, pawed at the ground a few times, watched the man’s gradually receding back, gritted his teeth, and chased after him.
This time, he didn’t block the path but ran alongside, matching the other’s pace.
Ye Lian glanced down at the black cat by his feet but didn’t shoo it away.
One person and one cat ran along the mountain road for who knew how long. Even Jiang Xiaoyu, blessed with god-given athletic prowess, started feeling exhausted, his paws drifting with every step.
Fortunately, the man finally stopped. He bought a bottle of water from the vending machine and sat on a chair, taking small sips as he rested.
Jiang Xiaoyu lolled his tongue out to cool off. His already long, curly black fur had puffed up into messy strands, looking utterly disheveled.
He was sweltering hot, sprawling at the man’s feet like a puddle of flowing black sesame paste—the kind that panted roughly with a pink tongue sticking out.
Ye Lian found it amusing. He nudged the black cat with his foot. “Aren’t you afraid of me?” Due to the White Tiger Gene in his bloodline, small animals always cowered in terror at the sight of him. This was the first time a cat had actively approached.
Jiang Xiaoyu was nerve-thick as a power pole in certain respects and had no clue about this connection. Assuming the man couldn’t understand cat speech, he panted out, “Why should I be afraid of you? Because you’re a murderer?”
Ordinary people would only hear a few meows, but Ye Lian understood perfectly. His thoughts raced in an instant, and he realized the thing before him was a person wearing cat skin. He smiled and held the water bottle to the black cat’s mouth, probing, “Have some water.”
In cat form, Jiang Xiaoyu was far more carefree and uninhibited. Taking full advantage of being a cat, he drank a few gulps without any pretense, meowing all the while, “You seem like a decent guy. I hope when I investigate the case, I find out you’re truly innocent.” He trusted his instincts—anyone friendly to animals couldn’t be all that bad.
Now tagged as a good guy, Ye Lian curved his eyes. “Little kitty, what’s your name?”
Jiang Xiaoyu subconsciously replied, “Jiang Xiaoyu.”
“Oh?” The man raised his tone. “Little kitty, want to come home with me?”
Jiang Xiaoyu’s ears perked up—this was exactly what he’d been hoping for, fretting over how to sneak into the guy’s place, and now the invitation came unbidden. Energized, his stubby tail swished twice as he dragged out a meow: “Yes!” To make sure the message got across, he even rubbed his head against the man’s hand holding the bottle.
Ye Lian was somewhat surprised by the tactile sensation and smiled. “If you can keep up, I’ll take you home.”
“Good!” Jiang Xiaoyu meowed, thinking to himself that this undercover mission was a piece of cake. He happily trotted behind the man as they headed up the mountain.
What he couldn’t see was Ye Lian tapping his sports watch to send a text to his assistant: Check if there’s a cop named Jiang Xiaoyu in Pine City.
